You're hot I'm cold
by absolutefem
Summary: Multi-chapter story about how the steps of Jenny and Vastra's relationship progressed. Canon.
1. Mystery Woman (apr 1886 - mar 1887)

**Mystery Woman**

**A/N Multi-chapter story about Jenny and Vastra's life, as of late this is complete but if anyone would like some more please do ask. Xx**

"Matches, matches. I'm 'ere all day." Jenny shouted at the passers by, but to no avail. She had been standing in the cold all day, without a single match sold and her patience was running thin. If she didn't sell any she'd be hungry and at 17 she didn't look young enough for people to take pity anymore. Her bare feet were covered with blisters and sores from the chilblains she had received about a month back. She was lost in her own world and so much so that she didn't notice anyone walk up to her.

"I'll take some." A cool, calm voice spoke from somewhere behind her. It wasn't a tone she had heard often, the softness of a female voice, but without the ware of poverty or the pathetic pity of a well off lady. It was a mysterious voice.

"'Ow many?" Jenny replied. She doubted it, but really hoped the woman would say a lot, so she could go home. As it was nearing dark; and her feet were cold.

"Come with me and I'll tell you." The woman replied. Her presence seemed to calm Jenny and she felt a strong pull of trust towards the mysterious woman but, she was not just going to go with anyone, especially on the streets of London.

"Ma'am, I ain't gonna go anywhere I don't feel comfortable, now you gonna buy any matches. Cuz if you ain't I'll 'ave to ars' you to move alon'" Jenny was slightly annoyed with the woman but still felt as though there was something to the woman with the black veil. Her face was concealed by the laced mask and she couldn't understand why a lady would want to cover her face so completely, if her voice was one of calm, she supposed if she could see the face, she may have been able to form some opinion of the figure, but she couldn't and so the women remained a mystery.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to impose, but I see you're all alone and your feet are bare. I was wondering if there was anyone around who could look after you." Her care seemed evident but she clearly wasn't accustomed to seeing poor young women on the side of the road.

Jenny shook her head. "No I'm afraid ma'am, there ain't no one an' I am grateful for your care but I'll be needin' to sell all these matches by the end o' the day or else I won't 'ave anywhere to stay and no food for a couple of days."

"Well, I must do something about this immediately." The woman brought out her purse and provided Jenny with £2 for the next month. £2 being enough to feed and clothe Jenny for a year.

"This is far too much, you mus' need this for yoursel'. I don't know why you would wan' to waste your money on some penniless, filthy girl like me." Jenny was shocked by the level of hospitality by a complete stranger. She was used to people dropping tuppence or thruppence at her if she was lucky.

"No, I want you to have it. I live alone and my job pays well. As for filthy, I personally think you are stunning as you are." Jenny's feet instantly felt a little warmer and she wandered where the woman had wanted her to go and wandered what had made her offer money, as they departed each other's company and took off in opposite directions.

* * *

Over the next 6 months, Jenny spent just the right amount of money on what she needed and tried not to go over budget, as she felt like the woman was too special to appear on the streets again and she feared she would never know luxury like this again. She occasionally gave some of the money away if she saw someone in need; maybe to provide an example to others, but Jenny was not really sure why she did it. Maybe it was the hospitality shown to her was so uncommon that she wanted to give others the opportunity.

Jenny thought about the woman often and why she had covered her face? Why she had asked her to go to somewhere else? Why had she chosen her? There were so many questions looming and swirling around her brain that she didn't feel like she could not see this woman again as she had been so kind and the thought of not thanking her properly or making sure she had enough supplies for herself was too unnatural and unfair. Also, she wanted to know what it was, the woman had thought was so stunning about her, as all she happened to be wearing at the time were some rags she had been provided by the workhouse.

She had to admit she had always had a bit of a thing about women and she was not going to stop now. It was how she had ended up selling matches in the first place and without that fact she would not have met the mystery woman. So even if Victorian society could not accept her she bet the mystery woman could and that was how she came to the conclusion that she would do whatever it took to find and befriend this woman again. It felt like a dream to pursue or a mission to complete. Almost like a line of work that didn't require training.

It took Jenny a month to track down even someone who had seen this woman. A plump, rounded woman about 5'3'' had spotted her at the butchers, but warned Jenny that this women was not ordinary and had no intention of being in the company of a young, desperate girl like herself. However once Jenny explained the mystery woman's actions towards her; she soon started to understand why Jenny wanted to find her so badly; and sadly that appeared to be the opinion of many people that Jenny crossed in her search, that she was a desperate girl in need of some more money and that if this woman really cared she might give in and take pity on her.

Of course this was not Jenny's aim but it was 1886 and no one would have understood that a woman could be desiring another. Although her inquiry was actually achieving something she still felt alone and often tried to plan what she would actually say if she managed to find her target. Though the fact she now owned a proper outfit and a pair of leather shoes comforted her as at least she looked a hell of a lot more presentable than she had the first time they had met. She had also gained weight from the influence of regular food and as she was doing less exercise as usual, mainly due to all the thinking. Her cheeks had puffed out and she had filled into her youthful body. She was quite impressed with the body she had managed to achieve over the last few months and felt as though she was in good stead for meeting the woman and that hopefully she would find her attractive.

Jenny's breakthrough came when she least expected it as she had seen the woman go into the butchers and hid around the corner until she came out. It was nearing daybreak and she knew it was a bad idea because if she was spotted the consequences would be dire. But she pressed ahead anyway and followed the woman home to a large house on Paternoster Row. The Row was in a nicely built up area of London, and was not swamped with tourists, workers or 'ladies' which is the posh term she reserved for working women.

The house itself held much character and Jenny admired the architecture of such a building as though it were a piece of art. It stood alone but surrounded and seemed too big to live in alone. If it were in Whitechapel at least 8 families would be squeezed into its overzealous walls. White walls that stood high but were ended by a neat set of stairs that unravelled towards a large oak door, which fitted perfectly into its frame. Jenny wished she could have seen the inside of this perfect house. It was almost as though her mind had brought it to life as if it wholly represented the woman inside like a perfect personification of a living person. She felt if the woman was anything like her house that she could never fit in with it and went home discontent and distracted.

The woman was perfect. Her house was perfect. But Jenny found herself swamped by it all and sometimes unable to cope with how different their lives were and she began to doubt if the woman had seen anything in her at all and whether when she rounded the bend she had not offered the same to another poor, desperate girl in the same position. This thought left her broken-hearted and upset. Not the emotions she thought she would leave with when she followed the woman home early that afternoon.

* * *

It had been around 4 months since Jenny had last seen the mystery woman, and she still wondered as to whether she should be pursuing such a person. But the money was running thin and she felt almost drawn to her. Before, they would let her sell what she liked provided she found herself what she wanted to sell and she had found a local boy who would sneak into the large matchstick factory on the southbank of the Thames. And prior to that she had worked in the factory itself. But having not needed to sell anything for a year; she had lost her contacts and decided she would have to start stealing her own items to make a living. Only small household items, but ones that could be sold as lock picking tools or could be cleaned up and swapped for food amongst the other street dwellers.

She would start on the row of houses near to the building she slept in, and the mission was set.

She would watch the target house from behind a hedge for around a week or so. Just to notice the owner's movements, learn their routines and locate where they may hide their money or possessions. Once she had concluded where and how to enter the building she would do so. However, one particular night right as she was about to break in, she spotted the mystery woman walking through the row of houses, it completely distracted her and even though the break in was successful she knew it wasn't her finest work and she had left multiple clues to her being there. Which is the exact thing she was trying to avoid the most.

Over the weeks of stealing Jenny had accumulated a large amount of items worth selling. But the night of the break in flooded her memory with questions once again she was in fear of what the police may do to her if they found out it was her.


	2. The Arrest (mar-may 1887)

**The Arrest**

"Did you 'ear 'bout the break in on Whitechapel road. The bobbies reckon it was one of us lot so keep your wits 'bout you. They migh' come after us an' find the other stuff we've been doin'." This boy had called a meeting with all of the street kids about Jenny's break in and she feared if they found it was her, the value may have her killed. The large group of kids stood crouching in the back of a pub and as a group they didn't look too clever. Almost like they were trying to plan a burglary itself. With their brown caps and bare feet, ragged, holey clothes with missing buttons and threads.

It had always been the boys and Jenny and she seemed to fit in more with them. It may have been the fact that it provided her some company as being ostracised by her family was not convenient. She preferred not to think of her family. It had upset her at the time but over the 5 years they had been apart she had grown accustomed to being on her own. They had abandoned her when she had told them of how she found females more preferable to males and that she would not be getting married to a man. Her parents had been mortified, and her siblings just looked hurt and betrayed; by her or her parents she wasn't sure, but she hadn't seen any of them since and hardly wanted to.

"All in boys. Don't tel' even if it was you." The boys all filtered away leaving Jenny standing alone with the lead boy who looked at her questioningly, but she did not move and seemed perplexed and lost in her thoughts. After a while she moved and wandered out of the pub and back to a lodging she had managed to rent with the profits of the thefts.

* * *

However she was still in regret of her distractions and annoyed at the fact she had left such petty mistakes. Normally she would have been out of the house in a shorter time and would not have left the window open or dusty fingerprints on the office desk. She retraced her steps on the floor to reveal the mistakes she had made, the meeting had hit home about how she needed to be on edge about the police finding out; if she was already in the suspect area of inquiry.

She had seen the woman, looked away and then crept around the corner to the back gate and had slipped through without a noise. So far, so good. She had opened a window at the back of the house and had climbed onto the kitchen counter, leaving the window open. Then she had turned towards the door having stepped onto the tiled floor; which had been dusty. Once in the hallway, she had turned towards a door marked 'study' and had brushed the dust off her feet, then touched the door handle with it. Upon entering the room, she had noticed an open desk draw, and reached inside to look for particular objects of value, but whilst searching the draw she had left fingerprints on the top of the desk with her other hand when she grabbed hold for balance. She simply had not been her usual, careful self.

Having failed at finding anything useful in the open draw; she left the study, missed searching the rest of the room and looked for any place where a safe may be concealed. She observed the thickness of the wall and wandered into the next room along. A long, slender room; perhaps a drawing or sitting room, Jenny had supposed. She had spotted a locked box beside the fireplace, she had knelt next to the box and had picked it with an extra long hairpin she had acquired when pickpocketing a lady with the most extraordinary centrepiece hat.

The box revealed a shed load of bank notes, which she bundled up and stored in a small bag inside her clothes. She had relocked the box but had left some dust on the lid, then retraced her steps back to the window, forgetting to shut it on the way out. Finally she had walked home rather pleased with herself not having realised the minor errors planted throughout the break in.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door that released Jenny from her thoughts and she almost had to wake herself up, to realise what was going on outside her body. Another loud bang echoed around the room, almost shaking it. She got up, walked to the door and opened it to find Chief Inspector Abberline staring her straight in her tired, bloodshot eyes.

* * *

The events of that night were ingrained into her mind and Jenny had thought about what she would say the next day when she appeared before the court. Having stolen a large sum of money she would be put away in prison for 18 months for the length of her crimes but would hardly be able to cost the fee of leaving prison itself; but would also be subjected to harsh, physical labour while she was there. She decided she would have to come up with something good or she'd never be free again, as the cleanliness of prisons was not good and she was likely to die in one, from the spread of Tb or dysentery.

She looked up from her place, on the wooden bench, outside the courtroom; to find a friendly looking face staring back at her. The face of a kind man, who was young in appearance but seemed to have age written in his eyes. He sat down next to Jenny and said.

"It'll be okay you know." His voice calming and confident. Quite a contrast from the panic and frustration inside Jenny's mind.

"Wil' it though?" She replied doubting whether he knew of the crime she'd actually commited. The man confused her greatly, he seemed familiar and reminded her of someone, she had no idea who, but just someone she knew. Perhaps her father, but again perhaps not; there was no way of knowing. He had the sort of fatherly look about him but appeared outwardly far too young to be a father of an 18 year old, inwardly he could have been as old as the oldest oak tree in Epping Forest, but on the other hand he could have been the sapling just starting to sprout leaves, or the baby crying in the corner. He could have been anyone but he provided comfort for her and that was all that mattered.

"I think it will, if you believe it will. Also I have found the most brilliant detective to defend you." Jenny wondered why such a person would be so kind as to provide support for a person as desolate as herself. It reminded her of the kindness that had been shown to her by the mystery woman so many months before, and the selfless act had actually lead her to the position she was in now.

"Why? Why bother? I'm guilty."

"Yeah, but they don't know that, do they? To them, you are a desperate girl who is likely to have done it. If you plead innocent who's to say you actually did it. It happens all the time." His kindness shone through him and she felt the warmth he provided her; both physically and mentally.

"I don' know wha' to say. Thank you?"

"Don't thank me. Thank this fabulous lady." He got up, poked his head around the courtroom door and ushered someone over to the corridor. Then turned back to Jenny followed by a woman, tall, and mysterious sporting a black, laced veil. Jenny's mouth gaped with shock; this was the last person she was expecting to see right at this moment. But was pleased to see her. The man ignored the shocked state of her face and held out his hand and said. "Sorry, what's your name, because this bit is easier when I have something to call you." His humour made Jenny smile and she felt instantly better about how the day was going to go.

"Jenny, sir. Jenny Flint." She replied feeling the need to finish his conversation.

"Oo sir, now it is getting professional. Anyway, Jenny may I formally introduce to you: Madame Vastra, or The Great Detective as she is sometimes known. Madame Vastra this is Jenny, who you will be defending today. She is up for grand theft but just between us we're trying to keep her out of gaol and she is definitely innocent. Am I right ladies?" The man now had a smile on his face too and then The Great Detective found her voice at last.

"Oh do give it a rest Doctor, the jokes are not funny. And I know the case, I was first on the scene." On the surface her voice had seemed to have changed. It wasn't quite so smooth and effortless anymore; like it had become a hassle to bother with such a tone. But underneath the voice had the same quality, the same calm and trusting nature as before. Maybe she was tired, or that was the tone she saved for talking to this man, this 'Doctor' that she seemed to already know. She turned to Jenny with a smile and said: "I do believe we have met." Outstretching her hand to grasp Jenny's with careful compassion.

The case went quickly and well as Madame Vastra's skill set seemed to be well adjusted and accurate for the job of defending guilty parties. She made it seem like Jenny had had nothing to do with crime at any point in her life, which even Jenny herself had started to believe by the end of the trial. She was offered a warning as she left; of if ever she was to be pulled up by the court for a similar crime she would have to defend herself and would not be let off so lightly but apart from that she was free to go about her daily life as per her usual manor.

Jenny felt free and like the world was at her disposal.


	3. Finally Housemaid (may-jun 1887)

**Finally Housemaid**

However free Jenny had felt following the trial, it quickly dissipated as the reality dawned on her and that she would no longer see the likes of Madame Vastra, or the 'Doctor' or anyone that would make her feel special or anyone that lifted her out of the real world of the streets. For being at the trial had made her feel valued and the kindness shown had brightened her world and created a more exciting and fulfilling livelihood.

She had often thought about them. What would they be doing now? Where would they be? Would they be thinking about her? She pondered this thought for some time, and occasionally her mind wandered onto a thought of her and Madame Vastra together as a couple. She knew in reality it was wrong to think of her like that, but she simply couldn't help it. She was a mysterious woman with a mysterious name; and it troubled her that she still had not seen what Jenny supposed would be a beautiful face; with soft but firm maybe blue or green eyes. Eyes that could pierce your soul with one look, but would remain with you like an unhealing wound. She would have a fair complexion from wearing that veil around all of the time. Pink lips that would finish her face and hair that would fall below her shoulders, tightened and knotted heavily into a bun, perhaps blonde in colour or chestnut brown.

Jenny knew this was only her fantasy taking over but it intrigued her. Also she noticed something about the way the veil fell, but she could not recognise what she was thinking of. She just knew there was something quite different about her and that maybe she lacked one of the features common to most other humans. That could explain why she wore a veil, maybe she possessed a deformed nose, that would make the veil outline her face as flat.

And of course the Doctor, but she knew what he looked like so why did he intrigue her. She decided it had to be those eyes, they were young and old; like he'd seen wonders and disasters. Whole worlds fall to pieces just inside his head. He was an impossible man, unlike any other she had ever come across. It marvelled her how she could come up with so many theories and ideas about a woman who's face she's never even seen and a man she'd only shared a 5 minute conversation with. But puzzling as it was she felt she was accurate enough and like she already knew them without knowing them.

She had also thought about the house, and how on earth could she clean it alone, and work all day and sometimes night, being a detective. And she did live alone, Jenny knew this for a fact; she had often watched the perfect house in search of answers about the woman. She supposed that she didn't clean the house and just left it to its own devices which could be good for having spare time but the house would surely be coated from top to bottom in a thick layer of dust. It would of course be everywhere, as dust as it was, is unavoidable but a good housemaid could have an entire house scrubbed and clean by daybreak, if she worked hard enough for it.

Jenny had once thought herself to become a housemaid, when she still lived with her parents. It was a suitable profession for a girl such as herself as she could earn good money and would be provided a roof over her head. If the employer was kind enough; which most weren't but some could show a little compassion; she had heard from some friends who had gone into the industry at around age 13.

* * *

Jenny had heard rumours that Madame Vastra was looking for a housemaid. Which of course she leapt at but soon after realised that she may not be able to keep herself to herself and it may become awkward, what with her obsession with her. She truly believed that she couldn't fill a position where she may mess everything up with her employer, even though she was denying her heart what it desperatly wanted.

She was confronted in the street sometime in the month following the trial. A man wearing a Stetson and suit, fashioned with red bow tie around his neck. The Doctor. He walked up to her on her weekly trip to the market and said quietly as he guided her into a dark corner of the street.

"Jenny, just the girl I was looking for. I was wondering if you fancied taking Madame Vastra up on her offer of housemaid. Because you see, living alone she faces the enormous challenge of cleaning that house, so most of the time does not bother. So I'm sure you understand why she needs help with it."

"Why me? Why would she wan' me to do al' tha' for 'er?"

"She believes you are hard working and could do with a job. And to be completely honest she has taken quite a liking to you Jenny Flint. She would have come to ask you herself but felt too nervous on seeing you again so soon." She could see his honesty radiating from his hand on her shoulder.

"She really thinks tha' 'ighly o' me."

"She does, even if she won't admit it. Just, if you want the job turn up at 13 Paternoster Row, tomorrow at 10:00 am. Please, if you don't want to do it for you, or her, do it for me." And as they parted ways he had a smug smile on his face and this made Jenny grin and grin for the rest of the day.

* * *

9:50 am the next morning, Jenny was pacing up and down Paternoster Row wondering whether she should be fashionably early, or arrive dead on time. She had decided that if the Doctor had come especially to see her then she must be important and it would be a waste not to go for a job she was very likely to get with an employer she genuinly found interesting and intriuguing.

9:55 am she stumbled her way up the marble stairs and knocked on the large door, the door was opened by the Doctor but she could hear the ends of a conversation he was having with Madame Vastra.

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO GO AND INVITE HER WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. What if I do something? Something Silurian. What if I can't help myself?" Madame Vastra's voice could be heard echoing through the house. Jenny wondered what she had meant by 'do something' and 'Silurian' but she brushed it off as something posh she'd never heard of.

"IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD." Turning his head towards what Jenny presumed to be the sitting room, then he turned towards her and said "Sorry about this we were just finishing an argument about something."

"Tha's fine by me." She replied and the Doctor welcomed her inside the beautiful house. But she had been right, there was a layer of dust blanketing almost every surface in the hallway. As the Doctor pointed out Madame Vastra's desperate need of a maid.

When Jenny entered the sitting room she was greeted by a large room covered with plants of all sorts, some she had never seen before, and it amazed her that you could have a greenhouse like room inside a house. Her face was a similar projection as the one that had appeared on her face when she had seen Madame Vastra appear at the trial. There were 2 large wicker chairs in the centre of the plants, and Madame Vastra was seated on one facing the door, and the Doctor ushered Jenny into the other, whilst he went and stood next to Madame Vastra and poured 3 cups of tea, placed on a small wooden table inbetween them. The china of the cups was so brittle and looked expensive but she admired the craftsmanship of everything in the room.

However her thoughts were interrupted by Madame Vastra saying "Speak to me about why you wish to obtain the role of my housekeeper;" There was a pause but before Jenny could say anything she heard; "But do it in one word answers." Jenny was intrigued as to such a request but thought it made Madame Vastra seem all the more interesting.

"Fascination." Jenny replied; all her secrets were going to come out in this fatuous style of interview.

"With what?"

"You."

"Why, what is so special about me?"

"Mystery." There was a pause after she said this. She could sense Madame Vastra knew exactly what she was referring to and in that moment she had complete trust in the mystery sitting calmly in front of her.

After a while Madame Vastra regained the ability to speak and said, "Why do you think you would be suited to the role?"

"Worn." This seemed to puzzle Madame Vastra and she stared blankly at Jenny.

"Please explain. One Word"

Jenny thought long and hard about this question and finally said. "Work."

"Jenny, may I ask you a personal question?" Jenny nodded. "What did you think when I defended you at the theft trial?"

"Beauty." The look on Madame Vastra's face turned from confusion to disarray. Jenny was perplexing her.

"And one final question for you today. Why should I choose you for the role? You may have no more than 3 words."

The answer she gave Madame Vastra either made her insane or drove her to complete warmth.

"Why not?"


	4. Chores & Contemplation (jun-aug 1887)

**Chores Contemplation**

Jenny was allowed to work for Madame Vastra and was given; a room, clothes and 3 meals a day. But she still had no idea what her face looked like until the shock of her life came, when waking her mistress on her first day of service.

She had walked through Vastra's door at around 6:30 am and dismissing the bed went straight to the curtains, opened them and started to build the fire; as her mistress had requested them always be stoked and that the house must always remain warm. However she had not specified why and Jenny felt as though she was missing something.

There had been lots of things like that, for instance, she had informed Jenny of the 3 weekly butchers deliveries and how she must not cook the meat just cut it in half and place on a plate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She had also requested a glass of blood (also provided by the butcher) with every meal and no explanation was given. It proved a little strange and unusual but so did this woman, so she just got on with her odd tastes.

When Jenny had finished with the fire she paid her attention to the large double bed in the centre of the room, to her surprise there was not a lady in a nightdress sprawled across the bedsheets. There was a woman-like, emerald green, scaly creature there and the nightdress was also absent. Jenny took a step back away from the bed. But instead of running she studied the creature and the shape of the face, the body size and shape seemed to all lead to the conclusion that this was actually her mistress without clothes on or her veil.

It all added itself up in Jenny's head; the veil, the mystery, why she sent the Doctor to invite her to the house and the plants. But also the strange requests about the house and her meals. She did not have the reaction of many others but she seemed content with her mistress all the same. She believed it to be rather erotic to sleep naked anyway and proceeded to wake Vastra.

The woman growled, and Jenny giggled. But when Vastra fully awoke she kind of stared at Jenny in disbelief that she was not appalled by her natural state.

"I have forgotten to inform you of myself, haven't I?" She said sleepily.

"Yes, ma'am I rather think you 'ave." Jenny replied.

"Well, Jenny please sit." She held an arm out for Jenny to sit on the edge of the bed. "I am a Silurian, Jenny. An ancient species that ruled the Earth long before Humans. Our species are basically warrior predators so I need raw meat and blood daily. I am also half reptile so I am cold blooded and can only be warmed by outside sources of heat. Do you have any questions?"

"Jus' one. Ma'am. 'Ow does it feel to 'ave scales?" Jenny had asked an unexpected question and Vastra had to actually think about it.

"I suppose its like having really thick skin, that's green. And I get cold easily. Why did you want to know?"

"I'm not really sure ma'am."

* * *

After that first morning's surprise Jenny got pretty used to how the general order of the day went. She would wake at 5:00 am when the sun rose, would get dressed, make her own bed, open the curtains and then light all the fires in the house. Then she would proceed to start on the day's cleaning until 6:15 when she would prepare the meat and blood to take up to Vastra for breakfast. Then at 6:30 she would wake a sleepy Vastra and help her dress, and she would eat then Jenny would return to the kitchen and take breakfast herself then return to fetch Vastra's plates.

After Vastra would leave for work Jenny would set to her work of cleaning and dusting the entire house, preparing her own meals, stoking the fires and making sure the laundry was done. It had been a mammoth task when she had first arrived as the house had not been cleaned since Vastra had moved in, but once the first full house clean had been completed a daily dusting was easily enough to manage.

She found that the hardest thing was resisting the urge to cook the meat her mistress ate, as she had been brought up with a mother who almost always overcooked what little meat they had. As the oldest of 5 siblings, she was used to helping her mother with the cooking and it was strange going against something she had been specifically taught.

Stoking the fires wasn't proving to be too difficult as Jenny soon found out there was a wood delivery twice a week, so the house was always freshly stocked. It was also becoming quite hot in the house as it was nearing July and she tended to sweat rather a lot during the long days. When Vastra would return in the evening, they would take supper together in the dining room. Which wasn't common curtesy for a housemaid but Vastra made social exceptions for her because she felt like she deserved it cleaning such a large house on her own.

After this Jenny would retreat to the kitchen and clean the plates, reflecting on the day and on what her mistress would want her to do in the evening. They usually sat down around 8:00 pm in front of the fire and would either read, quietly or to each other if they were both interested. Even though Jenny had come from a poorer family she had attended school and had a basic understanding of reading and writing.

* * *

On one particular night Madame Vastra put down her book mid-sentence and said.

"Jenny, I was wondering what you thought of our little arrangement here, because you don't seem to mind seeing me naked in the mornings and you are prepared to make my meals the way I like them, and you never were too bothered about the fact I am not of your species." Clearly this had been bothering her for some time as she had a look of pure intrigue and inquisition.

"Wel' ma'am tha's actually 'ow I ended up on the streets in the firs' place. My parents abandoned me when I told 'em I weren't goin' to marry a bloke an' tha' I actually prefer the companionship o' woman. So no I don't min' you naked at al' an' the fact you ain't 'uman adds to your mysterious quality." Jenny felt as though she had just spilt her guts on her entire life but Vastra seemed to be fine with it and gave a nod but asked:

"So do I, prefer the company of females, I mean. However in my culture female to female relationships are not all that uncommon. I'm confident I'll explain to you why one day; but it's not a conversation for now. And it's getting late, so I may head up to bed. But thank you for sharing such a personal story with me." She got up and walked over to the door. "Are you coming?"

"Er, yes ma'am." Jenny was rather surprised with Vastra's answer and had forgotten her surroundings for a moment.

* * *

Jenny spent that night thinking about her mistress and what information they had shared that evening. She pondered on the way the words 'So do I, prefer the company of females' had rolled off her tongue like the most normal sentence in the world. However, in Victorian England it was not the most normal sentence, it was highly unlikely to see a same sex couple and if you did come across one it would be flippant, in the back of a pub or backstreet alleyway. Women didn't just get together, not in that day in age. That's not to say it didn't happen, but it was one of those taboo subjects you're not supposed to speak off; ever, even if you were talking to the lowest of the low and you're drunk.

It was just not something that was spoken of and never done. It was illegal anyway to have 'relations' with a person of the same gender in a public place. She knew she shouldn't be thinking of her employer in this light; but frankly she couldn't help it. She saw her mistress' naked body every morning, with her beautiful emerald tinted scales and her unusual biology that was becoming so natural for Jenny to witness. She felt she ought to say something to her about it but wasn't sure if Madame Vastra would feel the same and she didn't want to ruin what was fastly becoming a nice easy friendship between the 2 females.

Jenny found it especially hard to sleep as all of these thoughts danced and whirled around inside her head. It was such a contrast to the quiet, calm, empty house that seemed to stand alone at night, like it transformed into a palace, with a ballroom, and a dining table set with 50 places each side; and a master bedroom with a bath at the end so you could walk straight from the bath to the bed without putting on clothes or walking through cold corridors. But a palace would have 40 or 50 servants all in matching white aprons and 10 especially picked chefs cooking a feast for 100 guests; but the house that her and Madame Vastra shared was not a palace and they were rather alone together in the house which did not seem like a fantasy but at the same time could have been a romance, she supposed if they were alone she only had to creep along the corridor and she'd be in her mistress' room.

Jenny tried to sleep but layed awake all night thinking of her fantasies and her mistress.


	5. Slight Osculations (aug-Oct 1887)

**Slight Osculations**

Over the next few months jenny and Vastra got closer and had progressed to spending the evenings sitting on almost the same chair. They sort of sat next to each other but as close as you can be without touching someone. They had become closer over the past few months and Vastra had learned to rely on Jenny for almost anything. It had become a relationship that both thought would last, but Jenny was struggling to keep her underlying desire at bay, it was especially hard in the evenings when they would sit almost touching, and if they were reading in absolute silence she could hear Vastra's breathing. It was deeper than a human's but seemed softer and more controlled; there were parts of Vastra that reminded her of predatorial animals and the feeling that she could one day pounce on her was never far from her mind.

When Vastra would look over at Jenny, she would have these cerulean blue eyes that could melt her into a puddle on the floor; she was completely falling for her mistress and she didn't know what to do or if Vastra felt the same.

More and more of their suppers had become dominated by conversation, whereas when Jenny had first been employed, it had been subdued and petty remarks said at one another with an intent to find an answer. Now it had become lively and interesting as the pair learned how to make each other laugh. Jenny knew she was easy to make laugh, and Vastra found her weak point very quickly, all she needed was to be repeatedly reminded of something funny or someone else laughing. Vastra was more difficult and it took Jenny 2 months to find a point that would make her really giggle.

One evening they were together in the sitting room and Jenny had just pulled on something she knew would make Vastra go and they were sitting close together laughing, it was a spectacle, Jenny thought to herself. When Vastra calmed down a little and stopped laughing quite so heavily, she said.

"Jenny I have been thinking for some time now that I need to explore the more creative areas of your culture, so is there anything you would recommend I start with; anything easy." She had a long hard think about what she could suggest for her mistress. She thought back to when she had time to enjoy pastimes and was reminded of her love of drawing.

"Wel' ma'am I 'ave always foun' drawin' to be up my street. But you'd 'ave to start on smal' objec's like fruits or leav's. Does tha' sound like somethin' you'd wanna do?" Jenny's mind did wonder to what other things Vastra could move onto drawing when she got better.

"I have thought of drawing, maybe it would be a good idea to start maybe in our evenings, then you could help me with drawing small objects. Would that be okay with you, they are your evenings too?" Jenny felt kind of flattered that Vastra wanted her help with pursuing a new passion and thought how this may bring them together.

"It's fine by me ma'am." Jenny replied, excited for their future evenings together.

* * *

The next evening, when Vastra returned from work Jenny had set up the drawing room around the plants in the sitting room. She had set up an easel with multiple boards for Vastra to draw, paint, or do what ever she wanted to; there was also a table in the centre with fruit and leaves and all sorts of household items of her choosing to draw.

"Oh Jenny did you spend all afternoon preparing this?" Vastra asked as she interrupted Jenny's preparations, her face displayed a clear delight at the fact she could now draw to her hearts content.

"I'm glad you like it ma'am." She guided Vastra over to the easel and planted an HB pencil into her soft green hand. "Jus' draw wha' comes to mind."

After a few days of Vastra just drawing fruit, Jenny could see she looked a little bored and wasn't sure how to continue expanding her skills. Jenny had thought long and hard for a couple of hours at how she could show Vastra something about herself and had come to a conclusion about what to do about Vastra's 'bored problem'.

"Ma'am I 'ope you don't mind me askin' but I was wonderin' if you wan'ed somethin' more interestin' to draw?" Jenny was hoping she would ask her to suggest something as she had the perfect plan for solving 2 problems at once.

"What would you suggest?" Jenny's face suddenly lit up and Vastra looked a little startled.

"I was wonderin' if you wan'ed to draw me?" Vastra caught on to what Jenny was suggesting.

"That would be an honour Jenny and it would be good to move onto something with more curves and shapes as I'm sure you possess. However, with clothes on it may be a little difficult, so you would have to be naked, would that be okay?" Jenny was delighted she wasn't actually counting on the naked bit but considered it a bonus.

"Anythin' for you Madam." The thoughts started circling her brain and she felt excited and nervous that her boss was going to see her naked. It was kind of Sapphic in a way, but it was her moment and she wasn't going to waste it by thinking.

"Excellent; just pop your clothes on that chair there." She pointed to the wicker chairs that had to have been moved onto the corner of the room. Jenny started to undress but Vastra had not turned her back; she found this intriguing, she supposed it could be Silurian culture or unfamiliarity with human awkwardness.

As she undressed she felt the room heat up slightly and maybe it was her own arousal, she couldn't tell. She then proceeded to place herself on the floor with her legs crossed and her back towards Vastra. She thought it may be useful for her not to be able to see the look plastered on Vastra's face. Which was one of joy by the looks of it; she looked amazed by Jenny's skin and admired how beautiful she was. Her pale skin, was a contrast to all the green in the room. It took Vastra a couple of hours to complete the pencil sketch but when she was finished she removed the drawing from the easel and tapped Jenny on the shoulder, which were warm to the touch and Vastra felt a tingle go up her arm.

Jenny turned around to face her, and Vastra held her arms out for her to help her up.

"You're still stunning you know." Jenny flashbacked to the first time they met. Vastra moved her hand so it cupped her face, Jenny moved her head up and kissed the Silurian on her cold, green lips. It was a chaste kiss and as soon as it had begun it was over as Jenny had come to her senses about what she was doing, and pulled away leaving Vastra stunned and she tiptoed out of the room.


	6. Love Begins (oct 1887)

**Love Begins**

"Jenny, wait a minute." She stopped put her clothes back down and walked back over to where Vastra was standing.

"Yes, ma'am." She said worriedly not really sure whether Vastra would throw her out or embrace her.

"Jenny I'm sorry for not making myself clear." There was a pause and Jenny was getting even more anxious about what was going to happen to her. "If we are going to do this I need to make sure you are comfortable with me."

"Ma'am I don't think I understand." Jenny was confused by Vastra's remark and clearly she was giving her a chance which was a surprise for Jenny who was expecting to be thrown out on the street for the second time in her life.

"You kissed me just now. Or at least I believe that is what you humans call it. Is it?" Jenny nodded. "Well, if you kissed me then you must feel some underlying emotion and I think we need to declare what our hearts want to know and share." Vastra started taking her clothes off at this point and Jenny re-entered the room, and sat down opposite where, Vastra would invariably sit down, after she finished stripping. Jenny was still a little nervous to reveal what she had been feeling for the past year but was excited as clearly Vastra had something similar she wanted to declare in relation to her.

The pair sat in complete interrupted silence for around 5 full minutes before either of them said anything. "Ma'am why 'ave you decided to remove your clothes?" Jenny was amazed by her mistress' body, as she had seen it every morning but this was different; she was revealing herself to her and it felt wonderful to just be open with each other instead of the social accepting method of being totally professional and unreal with one another. But this was not like those times this was real and raw and Jenny loved every second of it; even the silence, the unknowing, the waiting. It was all beautiful and wonderful. The nakedness of them added to their serenity as they were honest and themselves and could not hide behind their usual outer shell of clothes.

"So we can be honest. Well and truly honest my dear." Jenny's heart fluttered as she heard this, Vastra referring to her as dear; this implied 2 things: the first, that she was of value to her, and secondly that they were growing closer and weaving together.

"Oh ma'am," Jenny would have continued but Vastra lifted a finger to Jenny's lips to silence her.

"Vastra, please." She felt a tingle in her whole body, Vastra was making her feel things she'd never felt before and all they'd done was kissed.

"Vastra, I think I 'ave fal'en for you, you ar' a beautiful, funny, intelligent an' amazing woman an' I can never accept myself for keepin' tha' from you." Jenny felt her face flush as she said this, and like she had split and ripped herself in two right in front of the woman she was sure she loved.

"Jenny, I am so glad you feel this way. I do not know what I would have done if you didn't. I am captured by you. I feel like you have removed the warrior part of me and replaced it with love. You, with your smile, your body, your warmth, how you laugh at everything, it amazes and thrills me." Jenny's heart was pounding so hard she thought Vastra must be able to hear it. She reached out a hand to cup the side of Vastra's, emerald face. Vastra reached out her hand to hold Jenny's booming heart, she could feel every beat, pumping away, like a well-oiled machine.

They sat like that for a few moments before they brought their lips together once more. However, unlike the first time this kiss was exploratory and new. It was about them being together and not about selfish acts of desire. It was about the contrast between hot and cold, young and old, Human and Silurian. As their lips fitted around each others, they moved in sync, mimicking each others movements.

Vastra decided to slip her, muscular reptilian tongue into Jenny's scolding mouth. So she ran it along the edge of her lower lip, begging for an entrance. Jenny gladly accepted, and opened her mouth allowing Vastra to enter. They fought a battle of tongues until Vastra won by default, after all she was a warrior.

They both pulled back panting; and sat staring into each others eyes. Jenny noticed the blue of Vastra's eyes and how it darkened slightly when she felt love, how her pupils dilated when she blinked. Vastra noticed how dark Jenny's eyes actually were, and how they perfectly matched the dark shade of her hair.

After a while Vastra noticed Jenny's hair was still twisted and pinned together into a large bun of plaits. She reached around her neck and pulled each and every pin out of place, and made a little pile on the floor; until Jenny's hair fell out of place and cascaded like water down her bare back. Vastra marvelled at the way it fell; having never had hair herself she ran her hands through it admiring all its curls and ringlets.

Jenny liked the feeling of hands in her hair. She had always tried to distance herself from other people for fear of being physical with them; but this was different; she wanted this. She wanted Vastra to touch her; it felt animal, like instinct. But it still felt within her control at this point. She was not sure how or if Silurians had any kind of sexual rituals, but she was sure as hell going to teach Vastra the human ones in the future; if she didn't already know them, of course.

* * *

One night a few days later; after they had finished furiously making out for 20 minutes; Vastra decided it was time to tell Jenny of her past.

"Jenny, as you know I have always found females attractive." Jenny nodded. "Well, I have had past relationships with Silurian women. They were important but I have never loved anyone like you. I hadn't kissed anyone before you though, because it is Silurian tradition to wait until we are sure the person is one we will mate for life with."

"Oh Vastra, you real'y feel like we could mate for life? Or you would have stopped the kiss."

"Yes my dear; I would have." She ran her fingers under Jenny's chin and kissed her delicately. "We also have a ritual, that bonds 2 individuals together; I don't think we are ready to act it out just yet, but I shall tell you about it."

"Yes, please do. At some point I wil' inform you o' the 'uman acts too but not until we're ready." Jenny was excited to find out the Silurian rituals and if they were at all similar to Human ones.

"Right, well when 2 Silurians, be them male or female; would proceed to mark an individual as their own, by scratching lines into specific parts of the body, usually on the more female of the couple. I shall inform of these parts when we come to it. Then they would use their crests as a sensitive spot, which one of them would stroke delicately until the individual would reach their climax, however this is usually more effective for males. Females are more sensitive between their legs, and have a set of scales that when touched are very sensitive, this will cause a female to climax; but touching their crests is still sensitive."

"Tha's a lot to take in." Jenny said, she had tried to imagine what these scales would look like but it was difficult having never seen anything remotely similar, apart from what she had already seen of Vastra herself. Even though she had seen her naked already, she had paid attention only to her face and chest and her eyes had not ventured downwards; she believed it was out of curtesy.

"It is, but I believe you can handle it. You seem to be able to handle me."

"Oh darling, your not tha' hard to handle."

* * *

It was the evening so after talking awhile, Vastra scooped a tired Jenny up, carried her up the winding, oak stairs and placed her on their double bed. When she undressed, her and Vastra snuggled down into bed. Jenny turned towards her and whispered.

"I love you, Vastra"

"I love you too, my dear." She stretched her neck forward and kissed Jenny deeply on the lips. "Even though I would really like to continue this further, I'm sure we would both like to get some sleep tonight; and I'm afraid I could get rather carried away with you Jenny Flint."


	7. Rituals & Scars (oct-nov 1887)

**Rituals and Scars**

It was nearer Jenny's birthday and Vastra was determined to something extra special. As Silurians didn't celebrated birthdays she had no idea of her own; but wanted to make the day specific and important for Jenny.

She remembered that she had never shown her the drawing she had done the day they had declared their feelings, and decided it would be the perfect present for

Jenny's 19th birthday.

As the days were nearing the 17th, Vastra was getting excited for the day and the days in between were filled with small embraces peppered all over Jenny, especially when she was cooking. They enjoyed a lot of kissing in that kitchen, as Jenny could be lifted onto the workbench or Vastra could wrap her hands around her waist, while she was making something; Vastra could kiss her neck and head and make her turn around, and kiss back.

* * *

It was 7:00 am; Vastra had allowed Jenny to sleep in and had prepared their breakfasts and had brought them up. They had slept naked, as they always did, and as Vastra slipped back into bed, Jenny failed to arise, so she pressed her lips to her lover's which made Jenny wake and deepen the kiss. When they pulled apart; Jenny said.

"Good mornin' to you too. Wha' time is it? Did you let me sleep in?" Jenny asked she was confused as to what was going and looked puzzled at Vastra.

"It's 7 o'clock dear; yes I did let you sleep in but only because it's your birthday today." Vastra smiled at her and Jenny's confusion turned to happiness as she replied.

"Oh is it. I forgot. Does tha' mean we are goin' to be doin' somethin' special then?" Jenny had forgotten she had told Vastra about birthdays. As she didn't have one Jenny decided she must make a special date for her.

"Yes, dear. We are going to stay right here until you decide what you want to do. But let's have some breakfast first shall we?" She handed Jenny the plates and they ate their meal together sharing experiences and talking of what they would do later in the day.

"Dear, I got you something." She pulled up the drawing from beside the bed and handed it to a surprised Jenny.

"You've drawn me too beautiful. Thank you darling." She resisted the urge kiss her lover as Vastra wanted to say something.

"Your Welcome; and I have drawn you exactly as I see you, beautiful in every way my darling." She reached down to kiss her but Jenny stopped her, she cleared the plates and stacked them on the beside table.

"Vastra, I 'ave somethin' tha' I want to ask you. An' you 'ave to answer 'onestly, because I really want this now." Vastra thought she knew what Jenny was referring to but wasn't sure.

"Okay, whatever you want, go ahead."

"I think its time we bonded, you marked me as yours; an' I can teach you those 'uman rituals. Jus' remember it's my birthday." Vastra kissed her, successfully; and replied.

"I think, that is a marvellous way to spend your birthday." Jenny leapt up on top of Vastra, to her surprise, and started to kiss and suck at her neck. Her tongue sent waves of warmth through Vastra's body and she purred quietly into Jenny's ear. Jenny was kissing and heating her up, it was wonderful, she was like an animal. Possessive and brave. Her hands found Vastra's crests and caressed them eliciting a groan and a growl out of Vastra. They were soft to the touch but didn't feel much different to the rest of Vastra's body, apart from the fact they seemed to store some warmth. Jenny rolled onto her back and Vastra brought herself down on top of her, she kissed Jenny with all the emotion she wanted to say and trailed kisses down her neck and torso, her heart was beating rapidly and she felt turned on. When Vastra had reached her thigh, she moaned, loudly which turned her and Vastra on even more; she was kissing and nipping at her inner thighs, she felt the sense of finality with her lover, as they had often thought of this moment.

"Dear, you appear to be extremely wet, were you expecting something?"

"Ahh, you bring it out in me." She moaned.

Vastra dipped her head in between her legs and started to lick Jenny's clit in a circular motion; she was really moaning now and Vastra giggled against Jenny, at how she couldn't control her movements and how such simple ministrations could bring out the animal in her. The giggling did not help Jenny and she moaned louder and louder with each lick; Vastra really decided to take it up a notch or 3 and entered her fingers into her dripping slit. She pumped them in and out at speed; until Jenny climaxed, hard and her whole body shook, but Vastra didn't stop as she knew Jenny liked to be thoroughly satisfied.

Vastra crawled up the bed to where Jenny's head was lying, exhausted.

Jenny raised herself from the bed and kissed her way down Vastra's body, and followed with her hands, they snaked slowly down her scales and landed firmly on her breasts, they were rounded like her own but were covered with slightly darker scales, than her limbs and face. It was a large, wide strip of darker scales that were fitted perfectly to her torso. Jenny dipped her head down below Vastra's thighs and she saw those sensitive scales she had spoken off before. They were so dark they were almost purple in colour; she ran her delicate fingers over them and Vastra purred.

"Oh you like tha' do you." Jenny said, she thought talking like that might arouse Vastra more.

Vastra couldn't bring herself to say anything back, she was so focused on her body and what Jenny was doing to her; it amazed her how good it felt to be touched and be loved for it. Jenny removed her fingers from Vastra, she whimpered but Jenny quickly replaced her fingers with her tongue and began to lick, suck and kiss Vastra's most sensitive of scales.

It hardly took a minute for her to climax; Jenny worked her way back up to Vastra's head, they kissed, tasting all the love between them.

"Dear, are you ready to be marked?" Vastra said as she calmed down.

"Yes, darling; do it. Mark me." Jenny demanded and Vastra gave her what she wanted; she clawed at Jenny's right hand, creating 3 perfectly straight lines, directed towards her smallest finger. Jenny had winced in pain, but had got used to the sensation after a while; she knew the lines would scar but she was glad of it. It made her Vastra's and that was all she wanted. They had bled but Vastra was quick to lap it up with her tongue; making jenny laugh.

"Now it's your turn to feel some pleasure, my love. You must teach me." Jenny looked from her hand to Vastra and smiled. She knew she was getting to teach Vastra something about herself and hoped she would like it.

"Kiss me." Vastra responded by moving Jenny to lay on her back under her. She lent down and kissed her carefully. "Bite me." Vastra snaked her long tongue around her neck and bit her hard, then licked it and it bled, giving her what she wanted.

"Now what." Vastra started to kiss her chest and stopped at her breasts, not sure how to proceed.

"Suck me, 'ere." She pointed to her hard nipples. Her voice was incredibly hoarse and sexy; it made Vastra want to do all sorts of filthy things to her.

Vastra sucked on Jenny's nipples and she moaned loudly, making Vastra growl. "Finger my cunt." Vastra did look puzzled for a few seconds but soon realised what Jenny was referring to. She was moaning loudly as Vastra kissed her stomach and thighs. When she reached between Jenny's legs, she admired the curls of dark brown hair that stood atop her skin.

She took one lick, then entered her fingers into Jenny's silt; she moved them in and out slowly at first, until Jenny cried "'arder." And then again when she shouted "Faster." Until she found her release and cried out Vastra's name, into the morning air.


	8. New Hope (apr 1889)

**New Hope**

There had been a loud knocking on the doors of the TARDIS, the Doctor had strolled over and with a cheeky snap of his fingers the doors had opened. In poured a distraught Vastra. This was 3 hours ago, the Doctor was glancing at the screen every 3 seconds, it was boring listening to Vastra rant on about how much she loves Jenny and has no idea what to do.

He was adjusting his bow tie for the 47th time when he just stopped the frantic pacing, it was making his floor creak, he grabbed Vastra's arms and just shook her until she stopped talking. Vastra was gobsmacked and didn't say a word, she couldn't.

"I think you should stop ranting at me and go tell her you love her." The Doctor said in annoyance; partly to get Vastra out of his control room and partly because of his soft spot for Jenny, he could see how much happier Vastra had been since they got together and mainly because it kept her distracted from him.

"But I can't, I don't know how to." She started to pace again, her anxious stance could have worried even the bravest man.

"Well, I think I can help with that." The frizzy blonde, walked calmly down the steps into the control room. She had a pair of sunglasses balanced to perfection on the top of her nose and a pair of brown Jodhpurs adorning her hips. "I thought we were supposed to be going to space Florida." The doctor had his apology look in his eyes as River approached Vastra, he had been trying to keep her away from Vastra for some time and was annoyed because he didn't want to miss date night.

"I'm sorry sweetie, she just came in. I think she needs your advice." The Doctor whispered into River's ear before she got too disappointed. River strolled over to Vastra, she was sitting down now and River sat beside her on the bench. The Doctor retreated down the corridor and left the women to talk in private.

"Look, you mustn't ever tell him this, but in his thirteenth regeneration he is a female like us, I had plenty of fun with that i must say." Vastra chuckled, she couldn't imagine the Doctor as a woman but she opened her mind to the idea, before River continued. "Which means i have lots of experience when it comes to relationships. Now why don't you tell be what is troubling you?" Vastra nodded and started to speak.

"I have this partner Jenny, whom I love and adore. She knows this but I want to do something to show her that I want to be with her forever." She sobbed a little in her confusion, and lent onto River's shoulder.

"Dear, then you must ask her to marry you. Assuming she is a human, which I am guessing she is." River paused to let her nod. "Ask her to marry you." She picked up Vastra's chin and looked at her eyes, they were a deeper green and they looked puffy and swollen.

"Is that some human thing I won't understand?" River nodded and explained to her that it is something humans do to unify couples. She understood the idea but was still nervous about asking, she wasn't sure what Jenny wanted. After some thought Vastra got up, said her goodbyes and returned home, unlocking her door she found a note on the side board.

It read, _Darling I have just popped out to get some more firewood, we seem to have run out, I don't know how but we have, I'll see you at dinner, I have instructed Strax to cook but who knows what will end up on the table. Xx _

It was written in Jenny's beautiful cursive writing, all loopy and wonderful and exactly how she liked it. She could imagine Jenny's voice as she read it with her thick London accent and her pronunciation of darling. Vastra had just enough time to work out what she was going to do, she was going to propose how River had said. She had informed her of all the details in order to make it the perfect moment.

Everything was planned and set out she just had to wait until Jenny arrived home before she could set her plan into motion. She had Strax clean the house - a sontaran butler she had hired when the Doctor had instructed that they do something with him. There was also a potato reference at the time but she couldn't remember why.

When Jenny stumbled through the door with apologies and a story for dinnertime, she was surprised to find Vastra waiting by the door ready to take her coat. She was directed towards the dinner table and they sat down to eat, it was something posh Jenny had never heard of but unusually Vastra ate with her. She thought it was strange but quite nice that they could eat together.

"My love why are we eatin' the same meal together? Is there something I've forgotten."

"No my dear i just thought of something that i want to ask you." Jenny looked very confused but a little curiosity got the better of her and she leaned in further to Vastra. "I was thinking about you and me and our little arrangement." She paused and Jenny winked at her sliding her hand into her own and feeling the warm of her skin against her scales. "Marry me. Please I've heard it's something you humans do and I want it for us. I want to marry you so we can be together and feel normal. What do you say?"

Jenny made a small sound comparable to a yelp and leaped into Vastra's arms, it took her off guard. She looked a little concerned and as Jenny came to look at her. She looked confused and hesitant awaiting Jenny's answer. She saw Vastra's concern and cupped her cheek looking into her eyes she nodded. Vastra understood, she leaned down and kissed her lips, it was soft and tender, filled with love and meaningful.

"Honey of course I'll marry you. I love you. Don't be sad." She wiped away small tears on Vastra's face, they poured from her eyes and fell onto her scales. "Wha' are you cryin' for?" She said, Vastra smiled now she thought of her love and their future together.

"I am happy. They are tears of joy. I love you so much Jenny Flint. I just don't know what I would do without you." Jenny pulled out her hairpins and let her long black hair fall onto her shoulders, she crawled across to sit on Vastra's outstretched knees their bodies balanced as Jenny cupped Vastra's face and kissed her lips again. This time with a heat, a lusting passion. This time with the present in their minds, with the night.

Their bed was crisp and clean, white, the sheets brush and cover their skin. The mix of green and black on the pillows, their voices muffled by kisses, red marks left on Jenny's skin that would fade over time, yet Vastra's scales remain unmarked, yet scarred with their history. Jenny ran her delicate fingers along the lines etched into her skin, making her scales quiver and tingle. She felt alive and important, Jenny made her past denyable and her future bright. Jenny is hers.

"Am I gettin' a ring then? If we're gettin' married." Jenny asked. Hoping and smiling intensly.

Vastra smiled down at her and laughed. "You are very cheeky Miss Flint." She ran her hand under Jenny's chin and kissed her forehead. "One day. You will have all that you deserve in the world. And I will do anything to keep you safe and protected and loved. My Jenny."

Jenny fell alseep in Vastra's arms as she spoke, a soft whisper that floated through the air like a dream. She kissed Jenny's head again and drifted into a sleep. Safe and warm and in love.


End file.
